Opus AE Group Inc., Minnetonka, has named Dean Newins as vice president, architecture, and Ernesto Ruiz-garcia as senior manager, architecture.

ASSOCIATIONS

The Midwest District of the Public Relations Society of America has elected Brant Skogrand, chief communications officer of Skogrand PR Solutions, Apple Valley, as the 2013 chairman. ... Ward Ring, of RBC Wealth Management Group, Shoreview, has been named to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation board of directors.

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC, a Minneapolis research, trading and investment banking firm, has hired the following: In its equity research department: Bill Bonello as a senior research analyst; Eric Stine as a senior analyst covering the clean technology and industrials sectors; Bryan Maher as a senior research analyst; and Rajesh Ghai as a senior research analyst, covering enterprise IT and data center infrastructure sectors. In the trading department: Jon Ledwick. In the banking department: Steven Beck as co-head of its mergers and acquisitions group; Albert Hanser; John Lipman; John Grimley in institutional equity sales; Bill Benjamin in institutional sales; and John Thompson in institutional equity sales. ... Bremer Financial Corp., St. Paul, has hired Jeannie Seppala as a personal trust manager within Bremer Investment, Management & Trust. ... Tony Black, RPA, AIF, has been hired by St. Paul-based SevenHills Benefit Partners, in its retirement plan division.

HEALTH CARE

Respicardia, a Minnetonka developer of implantable therapies for respiratory and cardiovascular health, has appointed cardiologist Dr. William T. Abraham and medical device industry executive Scott R. Ward to its board of directors.

HONORS

Finance & Commerce, a Twin Cities financial daily publication, has named Vicki Bailey of Advantus Capital Management, St. Paul, as a 2012 Twin Cities top woman in finance. ... St. Paul-based Bremer Bank employees Nancy Healy, Vickie Rearson and Shannon Johnston were named top producing loan officers by Minnesota Housing. They were recognized for their work on FHA and Home Help loans completed in the first six months of 2012. ... The Midwest Society of Association Executives has awarded the following members its prestigious outstanding volunteer award: Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Assoc.; Greater Mankato Convention & Visitors Bureau; Tara Loftus of Adapta Interactive; Jenny Prosser of Aging Services of MN; Melanie Wilen of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel; and Ann Kvall, AK Communications. ... Tom Gunkle, Mortenson Construction chief executive officer, has received the distinguished achievement award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering. The award celebrates outstanding accomplishments by UW-Madison College of Engineering alumni. ... John Wernz, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Twin Cites-based Wealth Enhancement Group, has been named a recipient of the national 2012 "40 under 40" award from Direct Marketing News. ... The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District's small-business program earned national first place honors during fiscal year 2012, for obligating small business contracting dollars.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has announced a new franchise in Chanhassen, operated by brokers/owners Kevin and Linda Sharkey.

RELOCATIONS

Affinity Plus Credit Union has opened a new location at 2750 Snelling Ave. N., Roseville. ... 701 Executive Suites has changed its name to 1600 Executive Suites, and is now located in the Campbell Mithun Tower at 222 9th St. S., Minneapolis.